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Its The Pits
Highroad What once was a splendid and grand highway has been shelled and bombed almost to the point of non-recognition. It is so cracked, potholed, and littered with debris that traveling it requires a great deal of coordination and even more concentration, a dangerous distraction when an attack could occur at any moment. The powerful bombs that hit this road so long ago were meant to cut off access to and from the city directly to the south. Blurr has never been one for standing still for very long. At least, not by anyone else's standards - by Blurr's standards, staying in one place for even half a minute takes the patience of Atlas, but Blurr's a guy obviously living on a different clock then the rest of the universe. Now he's returning from a patrol, rolling through the Highroad at much faster than the speed of sound before he starts to slow down enough to let himself transform, finishing in a run. "I was told to come over here once my patrol was done with to help you guys put up defenses only I don't know what kind but I'm sure if someone just tells me what to do I can have them up in a jiffy well Jiffy always seemed kind of slow and why would we want to put him up anyway but I mean just tell me where you want me and I'll be there fast!" he says to whoever seems to be in charge of this dig (and probably to several others as well). Contrary to what one might expect at first, Jetfire is -not- standing outside the secret entrance to the hidden base that wasn't suppose to be there. The last thing they want to do is give away the location of, with Iahex in ruins, what was their main stronghold on Cybertron. And as such, the position was in tactical need to be defended... but not in a way that would give away the secret location of what hides beneath their feet. It was a bit of a trying mental puzzle, and one that Jetfire had thrown his attention fully into. It also helped keep his mind off the shortfalls of the other night. Instead he stood out by one of the larger craters in the Highroad, a set of blueprints spread between his large hands. If any Decepticon snoops came around, it would look like the Autobots were trying to fix up the road so they could use it for supply caravans and so forth. "Mmmmhmmm... mmmm... this location has seen better days, but prehaps we can turn it into a tactical advantage all the same," he murmurs, mostly lost in his own thoughts and plans at the moment. At least until Blurr is -suddenly right there- and babbling, actually jerking up a bit as he snaps back to reality. "Ah, yes, Blurr. The fact that you can work quickly is what I'm counting on. The longer we're out here the more likely it is for the Decepticons to notice, so it's best if this is done as effectively as possible." Scorch hates Cybertron, he wasn't created there and feels no connection to it at all. Then why is he here? Simple Grimlock said there would be smashing to do, and that Scorch likes. In fact it's one of the few things he does enjoy. Work on the other hand he does not. So when everyone was told to head up to help out he grudgingly came along but so far hasn't moved since leaving the base. "Hrumph. Why me Scorch needs help? If der be special place for dem Wreckers dem should do own protect stuff. Dinobots no have place of own, just stupid cave. Who want cave for place when him Sludge takes up whole ting?" Muttering and grumbling to himself he sits on a stack of crates as if he's ready to be waited on like a king. Though everyone knows the king is Grimlock. "Oh too fast to be noticed?" Blurr answers, tilting his head, then leaning forward, then tilting his head the other way - in fact, he moves throughout, so quickly that even though he doesn't actually go anywhere, it sometimes looks like his head or arms are in two places at once. "I can do that easy well not too easy because you haven't told me what to do and I can't get started if I don't know what it is I'm supposed to be doing and I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing because you haven't told me yet!" Scorch swats at a group of techs that try to remove the crates making up his throne then finally gives up and lets them have it so they leave him alone. Spotting the bot in charge he heads towards Jetfire wanting to know what's being talked about and what the plans show. "You der, am dat pictures of what new dinoplace going to looks like? Me wants big room wif tv so me can watch stuffs." Ignoring any other workers and hardly able to keep track of Blurr he stops and looks at the crater Jetfire is near. "Why looks at hole? Dem all overs, no want live der." A speedster and a ponderous Dinobot... either karma hates him or the forces are just spread that thin, seeing how active the Decepticons have already proven to be. Jetfire will just have to make do with what he's been given, though at least there's a few other low-status techs around he can give really intricate work to. First things first, though. "There's a row of buildings on the other side of the Highroad, Blurr. They're not safe for living in, but if we conceal some weapon placements inside they'll be at optimum level to shoot at Seekers or aerial bombers. Or if necessary knock a building over on them. But that's a lot of area to look over to find the right spot, which is why I want you to use your speed to do so, see if you can find a good point that's got optimal coverage. Then we'll worry about the actual weapons." Then he turns his attention over to Scorch. "Yes, they're all over the place, and we're going to use that to our advantage. Jets are one thing, but we've also got ground forces like Stunticons and Combaticons to consider. If we cover these craters and make it look like the roar is traversable, they become pit traps." He points over at a few barrels sitting near by. "The compound in those containers will look solid, but when weight is applied from above the offender will sink in and become stuck, similar to a mudhole. Or quicksand." He offers a bit of a grin to the Dinobot. "A stuck target is easier to smash; no chasing involved." Blurr turns towards Scorch. "Oh, Autobots life in holes all the time!" he explains, darting to Scorch's other side, possibly intending to give the Dinobot more space, but who knows? "Most of Cybertron is holes and we've had to live in them while Optimus Prime and the others were on Earth and boy were they gone a really long time but really I spent most my life underground and it's not so bad when you get used to it just kind of dark and-" he turns to look at Jetfire, "find a good point for weapons in buildings? Sure I can do that I'll be right bac-" and he's gone. Scorch listens then nods. Granted it's not what he was after but not having to chase after somebody to smash is almost as good as having them come to him. Hearing a voice he turns to his left only to hear the voice coming from his right side, turning that way he finds nobody as Blurr zips off to see to the task he was given. "Who say dat? Where him go?" At a loss he wanders over towards the barrels grabbing two and dragging them over to a crater. "So dis going to makes smashing easier to do? Why you no makes dis sooner?" Jetfire takes another look at the plans for a moment, and then folded them up. That was something he could work on at a later date, when securing this location was taken care of. What they truely were would have to wait for another day to be revealed. He frowns a bit at Blurr's running commentary about having to hide out in those days, something else he missed out on, for better and for worse. ... And Blurr is already off. "They call him Blurr for a reason I guess." He nods a bit to Scorch as he brings a couple of barrels over. "I got the idea reviewing one of Beachcomber's filings about Earth's extremely varied environments, but it was deamed unnecessary until now," he explains to Scorch as he unlatchs and pulls the lids off the barrels. "But yes, make smashing them easier. They won't be able to just transform and fly away easily, either. You can throw an enemy into one even if you want." He points over at one of the other large craters in middle of the highroad. "Poor that barrel into the one over there, I'll get this one filled. And then the top needs to be smoothed over to look like the rest of the road so it won't be easily noticed." Picking up one barrel, Jetfire shifts it under his arm and uses the other hand to guide the pouring into the crater. A scientist yes, but he had no problem with doing some of the labor himself, it was half the reason for his size and strength. From time to time, Blurr can be seen through the area, but he's moving at his best speed, meaning by the time you see him in one place, he's not there anymore. At least two minutes after he left (meaning Blurr spent a /really/ long time looking, and probably got distracted at least twice), Blurr is back and peering into the hole that Jetfire is in the process of filling. "Sorry that took so long but that area's really difficult to travel through and the buildings are in bad condition and I think I almost fell through the floors a couple of times but I found what you were looking at only getting to the best places might be hard for anyone who's heavy or who stands in one place for too long but I'm sure I can get whatever you want set up set up although it might take a few trips!" Scorch takes his barrel towards the indicated crater. While not in his nature to assist with most tasks the idea of this stuff allowing him to bash a few Decepticons easier is too good for him to resist. Popping the top of he pours the substance into the crater, though not as neat as Jetfire is doing. "Hmm him talks too fast and bout dumb stuff. Who cares but hide in places? Me Scorch no hide, me smash den der am nobody to hides from." Looking back to see if he's doing things right he spots the blue bot who seconds ago wasn't there. "Where you comes from? You not der den you der. Tink you helps and not do disappearing ting." Blurr crosses his arms. "I don't talk too fast you people talk too slow and you don't know how to answer in any kind of reasonable timeframe." He throws his arms up. "People keep asking me why I'm always talking but that's because no one else is and I don't understand how the rest of you live with all these long awkward silences all the time, but I guess you guys can't help that you're so slow anymore than the rest of us can help not being as strong and tough as Dinobots and that's why we have to hide sometimes and I didn't disappear I just did the job I was told to do!" Jetfire pauses a moment to check his work, then pours a bit more in. The conconction is almost a perfect match in color already. "It doesn't need to be perfectly smooth, just so it's not clearly different." He sets the barrel down and looks up again. "Yes, that's good Scorch. Just fill the large ones. The smaller ones they'd have to move around, and that increases their changes of stepping into a trap while evading the clear obstical." Jetfire starts to go for another barrel but pauses as Blurr suddenly pops up again, nodding and smiling. "Yeah, I figured they wouldn't agree with me very well, that's why I asked for someone light and fleet footed. Thank you." He waves over a couple of the other workers. "Help Scorch continue to fill the larger craters." The giant scientist pulls a datapadd from subspace and hands it to Blurr as he turns back to him. "Making trips works. These are the second stage assembling instructions, I'll assemble the main modules down here for you to take up there, and then they can just be interlocked on sight with ease. I believe the humans call it 'plug'n'play' technology." Chuckling a little, points over at some circular platforms roughly the size of a cybertronian manehole cover. "Those are the platforms they stand on, start with those while I get assembly going." Even the scientist doesn't realize that's not -quite- the same thing, but hey, the term works. Scorch shrugs and just keeps on pouring. Easy enough to do and even better it doesn't have to be perfect. Listening to Bluur, or at least trying to, while he works he finally just nods. He's found that nodding tends to resolve most issues with Autobots that annoy him, they either leave him thinking he agrees or wander off expecting him to do whatever he supposedly agreed to. Either way he tends to get some peace. Moving to the next large crater he drags over another vat of goo and starts filling it up. Blurr stands straight at attention and offers a salute that's so fast it almost doesn't exist. "Platforms? Not a problem I'll have them in place in a blink. Well, maybe a blink and a half since some of those area are kind of tricky to walk through and anyway I'll get started!" he says before darting off to grabbing the first of the platform disks. He transforms, tucking it in his cab, and is off like a rocket, only faster. It should perhaps be noted that he takes Scorch's nod at face value, suggesting that the Dinobot's strategy has worked once again. Jetfire is actually somewhat pleased with himself. Blurr's speed was being put to good use, the Dinobot was doing simple but effective manual labor that would make his own job of 'smashin' dem' easier; so their capabilities were being well utilized. Teamwork, tactics and technical creativity; just the things he knew would win this tough time, and someday the war in itself. Humming a bit Jetfire set to work putting together the predesigned weapon pieces. A stand and basic automation unit to connect to the base, the main body of the weapon and ammo chambers, and the barrels. It was simple target, fire and forget hardware, but it would still make aerial maneuvers a bit more tricky for any Decepticons over the area. Scorch has effectively been put to use filling holes with goop, not an exciting job but one he doesn't seem to mind doing. And on top of that his ability as a master strategist was put to good use as Blurr races off again confusing the dinobot who can't even move half as fast on a good day. "How much more of dis der to do?" He looks over seeing the new device being built, "Wut dat do?" Blurr takes the disks to the spots he had found earlier one at a time. It's not the most efficient way of doing things, but since Blurr spends most of his time trying to find ways to fill the massives amounts of what he perceives as empty time, there's not much need to do things efficiently. As Jetfire and Scorch work and converse, he can occasionally be spotted at the pile of disks, or out among the building. Sometimes it seems to almost be both at once! "Automaticed Anti Aircraft Turre--" Jetfire stops halfway through the explaination as he remembers much of the technical aspects would be lost on Scorch. "Er, that is, they shoot the annoying flying jets a lot of Decepticons turn into, so they have to come down closer to the ground and be in smashing range. Or fall into the pit traps." Better. He'd be able to explain the more scientific aspects to Perceptor or Hoist later to satisfy that need. The area would be depended, but not obvious that there was something right there to be defended. For all the Decepticons would know it was to make the area save for supply runs and defense patrols to pass through while they try to rebuild Iahex. Nothing says a little misdirection is against Autobot protocol. It's for a good purpose after all. Scorch nods as all is explained. "Me Scorch likes dat ting, stupid Ceptic-ons always doing fly ting so dem no gets smashed in face. Bet dems be surprised when Automaticated ting shoots dem down." Tossing the now empty barrel he was holding aside he wonders what to do next, as he's filled a few holes already he decides that it's do nothing time and leans on some rubble and just watches as the others build and apply finishing touches to the trapped craters. Blurr finishes getting the base-assemblies in place and comes rushing back towards Jetfire in vehicle mode before transforming and peering back and forth between him and the Dinobot. "I got the bases in place I have them up and down on different levels because even though all the Decepticons fly some of them also drive and I figured we should have some things on ground level but because I did that we're going to have to be careful when we're in that area oh and tell folks they might not want to go between those two buildings on the north edge that might be bad if an Autobot went there well not yet because the weapons aren't in place yet but soon." "Yes, and then they'll be right in handy reach to smash them." Apparently spending time on earth around the other Dinobots has given Jetfire some sense in how to 'speak their language' as it were. The sad thing is that talking to Dinobots was at times still more interesting than some of the repitoir he's exchanged with various Seekers over the years. "Good thinking Blurr, I hadn't actually considered some lower ones, but that's an excellent idea," he replies to the speedster as he sets another barrel down after checking to make sure its straight. "Each pile is one gun, to be assembled on one base. And yes, the locations will be noted so none of our own mechs stumble into the traps unaware, that would be rather disasterous." "Yes it would be!" replies Blurr, wide-eyed. "I'd feel really horrible if another Autobot got hurt because of me I mean we're all on the same side and we're here to watch each other's backs and take care of each other and not to accidently hurt each other so besides there are still plenty of Decepticons that need hurting anyway and each pile is a gun huh? Did you include instructions?" Before Jetfire can answer, he zips over to the farthest pile, kneels down, and inspects it. "Oh you did all right well I'll be right back!" And then he's gone with that pile. Scorch and lazy go together like booze and Nightbeat, so while the others shuffle about Scorch has no problem hanging back and observing. "Dat good tinking, if stuff everywhere den we sure to gets dem if dey come." As he considers the rest of what was said he grins as he pictures some foolish Decepticon getting shot and then falling into the gloop and held fast. He then starts laughing as he pictures Sludge falling in and getting stuck, almost as much fun as playing extinction back on earth in the tar pits. "The datapad I gave you bef--" And Blurr is off again. "-- Well he's certainly got ethusiasm." Jetfire shakes his head a bit and gets back to work on constructing one of the weapon bodies. Takes a moment to make sure all the parts will fit together but doesn't actually assemble them, as that would make it too heavy for Blurr to carry around. He doesn't mention he's really hoping they don't even need to use the setup, but with the pushes the Decepticons were making, he'd rather the location be defended and never faught over than left vulnerable and some Decepticons accidentally finding the base. "Right. Making it easier means we spend less time and fuel having to 'smash' them as well." Scorch watches Blurr race around doing tasks in less time than it takes the dinobots to even stand up. "Hmm him Blurrs am goods to have help. Him gets so much dones dat me Scorch no have do nuffing. Tink we takes him all da times." Crossing his arms Scorch settles in a bit against the rubble that helps conceal the Debris facility. Blurr's gone longer than one might expect. While setting the guns on their bases, he noticed a tunnel beneath one of the buildings, and decided to check that out, mostly to make sure it doesn't lead back to Debris. He's still not gone /that/ long, though, and manages to return - probably just as Jetfire's done with the weapon he was working on, and certainly in time to hear what Scorch says. Blurr actually laughs. "Hey I don't mind Scorch it gives me something to do anything from getting bored you know what I'm saying well I guess you don't but anyway I don't mine helping I can't lift as much as you can at once but sometimes taking lots of little trips works as well!" Jetfire nods a bit, handing over the component he was working on when Blurr returns. "It's okay Scorch, you did a good job with the pit traps. Neither you or I are really suited for trying to navigate those old buildings due to our size, but Blurr's perfect for the job." He looks back down to the parts he has remaining. "A few more and I think we'll be in good shape here. Don't want to set up anything too obvious or the Decepticons will get suspicious. And they won't walk into a trap if they suspect one being laid." "Well that makes sense," answers Blurr, rubbing his chin, then rubbing the back of his head, and then he looks down at the component in his hand and turns it over quickly, examining it. "I mean I wouldn't walk right into a trap that I knew was there either well unless I thought I could run through it fast enough not to trigger it or to duck whatever got triggered which I'm pretty sure I can but even then I'd have to have a good reason to run right through a trap because it'd be silly to do it just because I was bored or something like that although I do admit that I get really really bored sometimes so well maybe I would but I don't think most people would and well I'll be right back." Jetfire just sort of nods a bit, he doesn't bother replying at the moment as sure enough Blurr is off running again before he could of ever said anything. It's getting work done, though. Idly he glances over towards Scorch. "Those containers need to be compacted so we can have them recycled into usable materials again, Scorch. Think you could handle that while we wait for Blurr to finish up?" Scorch hrumphs and lumbers over to the indicated containers. "Hmm dis not going to be hards to do." Transforming he turns and starts slamming his tail down onto each in turn crushing them more or less as stepping on a can does for terrans. "Dis not bads but not as much funs as smash Septic-on in face. Me Scorch likes hear dem cry when dat happens." Scorch drops forward as parts shift about until he stands before you as an Ankylosaurus. Jetfire works on the last of the component modules despite the loud crunching go on behind him. "I'm sure you'll get plenty the oppritunity to do so, Scorch. Plenty." Setting the final piece down for Blurr to take, Jetfire starts packing up his tools and such. "That just about wraps it up here. I need to talk to Grapple though, see about structurally reinforcing Debris farther from inside, where it won't be noticable. Would rather not it come crashing down on top of us." Blurr is back again, rather suddenly (as usual) and watching Scorch smash cans. He chuckles. "Maybe next time we can put little speakers in there to make the cans cry and when they're crushed that might make it more fun for you but it might take a little longer to set up but I don't think that'll be much of a problem for you but I wouldn't want to wait but that's all right because no one's going to ask me to crush any cans anyway!" Before anyone can comment on Blurr's observations, he turns and darts away, snatching up the piece that Jetfire had just set down and transforming, driving off towards the buildings to set the last one in place. Jetfire checks over his list one last time, making note of where the craters will filled in. He'll have to get the locations of the placements from Blurr when he returns. "Not very hard Scorch, but appreciated all the same. We can't afford to squander any material that is still viable. I don't want to have to listen to Huffer blow a gasket griping about it." He trots over to pick up the now flat as a pancake barrels once Scorch is done. Ankylosaurus slaps his tail a few times on the ground as things seem to be almost done. "Well just so longs as dis nots all we do. If dem not come here den we's go looks for dem to do smashing." Blurr is here again. "All right that's the last of them but I'd better get them on the maps," before Jetfire can react, he grabs the datapad from the scientist's hand and starts to tap on it, his fingers moving so quickly it looks like he has twice as many as he should, "so that none of our own guys fall in any of our traps so we'd better get this out to the others," he finishes and puts the datapad back in Jetfire's hands, "but you'd better be careful because if that fell in the Decepticon hands," he darts over to Scorch and kneels, inspecting one of the cans the Dinobot just smashed, "that'd be really really bad because then all this hard work would have been wasted!" Jetfire mmhmms. "If you squat down you'd look like a large pile of metal. I bet if you sat still somewhere, a Decepticon would come right to you and you could ambush them. Smash them before they realize it was a trick... We're pretty much done here, Scorch. You can go to do whatever else you may have to do." Or take a nap, knowing some Dinobots. Maybe he'll actually take the suggestion and take a nap somewhere some Decepticon can rudely awaken him and get crushed for his troubles. "Thanks for the help." He picks up his padd....only to have it disappear briefly... and then reappear again with new information on it. If it wasn't for Blurr being nearby it could be mistaking for a skipped frame of animation! He glances over it briefly, and then smiles. "Ah, I was going to ask you about recording those positions Blurr, thank you. Best to make sure none of us fall into our own traps, yes." He has enough issues with his own hardware occassionally backfiring, no need to make it worse for his friends as well. "You can return to your patrols if you wish. I'll take care of filing this and getting these crushed remains reforged into armor replacements or some such." Blurr gives another instanteous salute. "Sure that sounds like a good idea I mean we've been here working for AGES and who knows how many Decepticons have gotten out and about while we were doing that so I'd better go make another run and maybe double check and make sure the path between here and Iahex is still clear or are we calling it Iacon again yet I guess it doesn't matter I'll see you guys later!" And then he transforms and is off with the crack of the sound barrier. Blurr transforms into his Blue Hovercar mode. Combat: Blue Hovercar begins retreating, outrunning all pursuit. Ankylosaurus grunts nods and starts lumbering off to find a comfy spot to settle down and relax. After a few steps he stops and transforms again, "Hmm maybe me not go far. Want see if anyone gets caught in trap tings. Dat be as goods as dem come to me for smashing." moving off he heads for the secure base to find a tv or place to nap. Shuddering Scorch rises up and splits apart as he transforms into his robot mode. (OOC Note: Boomslang was Scout'ing from the room over, though it likely just looked like the Autobots were trying to fix part of the road for their own use.)